China to lift COVID-19 test requirement for incoming travelers, eases strict restrictions

China is set to lift the requirement for incoming travelers to provide a negative COVID-19 test result starting Wednesday. This move marks a significant milestone in the country's efforts to ease the stringent virus-related restrictions that have been in place since early 2020.The announcement was made by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin during a briefing on Monday.
 

China's previous "zero-COVID" policy, which included strict lockdowns and mandatory quarantines for infected individuals, was only abandoned in December. These measures had impacted the economy and led to some social disruptions. As part of those measures, incoming travelers were required to quarantine for weeks at government-designated hotels. The curbs slowed the world’s second-largest economy, leading to rising unemployment and rare instances of unrest.